Report by Bob LeggettMore PhotosVideosPictures and Video Dave McCarthy
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Despite some
heavy showers during the whole day nearly 600 visitors
enjoyed the 21st Alresford Show.

Exhibitors really excelled this year
and we start the report in the Main Assembly Hall.

The door is manned by members of the
Alresford branch of Save the Children Society who
receive a donation. Just inside was Rod Hannah and Chaz
manning the TCS Stand. Rod reported keen interest in the
Society

.

The first
layout down the left had side of the hall was first
timer at the show Peter
Ingleton’s neat Wrenn and Minitrix scenic N gauge layoutwhich showed the quality of
these early N gauge models.

Next was another first timer Queenie
Ridgway with her wonderful Tri-ang TT layout. A super
layout full of some lovely scenic touches including some
repro Bilteezi reproduction card buildings. I was also
treated to a Southern train as I passed by. Queenie was
supported by her husband Rob who helped set up the
layout.

Richard
Upton and his family had a lovely ‘purist’ Hornby Dublo
3-rail layout. Running well all day long this had many
admirers who remember their Dublo sets in the late 50’s.

Another first timer was Richard Banks with his son and
theircolourful Tomy layout. A
very busy layout with spirals, rickety track and other
accessories. With at least ten locos moving at any one
time and visitors able to ‘assist’ there was carnage on
many occasions when derailed engines were
placed on the track the wrong way round and several
ended up on the floor!

In front of the
stage was Steve Knight and Marcuswith their excellent
Kitmaster Display and Steve’s sales table.

Alongside,
Martin Evans brought along his very nice short scenic
Dublo 3-rail layout , only 4’ x 10’’ it was highly
detailed and Martin let the public operate the trains.

The rest of the hall was dominated by
three large layouts;

Peter Corish
and members of the Brickish Society had set up a42’ long layout includinga table height to floor
viaduct between two tables and above some of the trains
ingenious LEGO contraptions including a Rubik’s Cube...... and a conveyor belt
system moving coloured balls from one end of a station
to the other witha train picking up the
loads. Visitors were mesmerisedwith the complexity of the
models. My favourite loco was a Southern Q1.

The Chiltern
Vintage Group had their superb Hornby Dublo, Wrenn and
neverwazzas2-rail layout with the
recently extended section giving a length of 26’. This
allows some excellent running with a variety of long
goods trains. The Dublo Canopy station is one of my
favourites and it was great to get a bird’s eye view of
the trains going through the station.

Les Martin with
help from fellow Tri-ang enthusiasts hadset up a brilliant loose
lay 30’ x 6’ 9’’ Tri-ang Super 4 layout with Minic
motorway added by Neil Bowsher , The theme was
Transcontinental with incredibly long trainssupplied by Neil Smith and
Les, help with scenic detail by Paul Rees and David Lyon
made this a much admired layout. Thanks to others who
helped early Saturdayto get the track completed.

The Stage area
was full to overflowing. Four Marks Scouts had a Hornby
OO Railways factory built layout with a variety of
running stock.

A Brio set was
in demand with the many young children who attended the
show.

Dave and KarenWhite were running his
newly acquired Tri-ang 00
Gauge with Minic Motorway shop display layout. Only 6’
x3’6’’ this is a lovely layout with plenty of action
including a car loading ramp.

On the front of
the stage Nick Gilman and John Bruce had Nick’s
delightful Tri-ang Standard track layout with full
scenic detail including Fogg and Young Countryside
buildings. Nick decided to make this a Jinty layout and
a whole variety of Tri-ang Jinty’s including very early
andnewer varieties were on
show.

Eric Large who I believe has been to
all the Alresford Shows was this year displaying his
wonderful Lone-Star Treble-000-Electic layout with a
variety of American Stock running and had plenty of sets
on display with a lovely original Shop Display stand.

The centre of
the stage was dominated by a very impressive Tri-ang Big
Big layout by Steve Smith. I was intrigued by the track
layout which allowed three trains running using several
Y points.